


Lighthouse

by FantasticShaolin



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: The Telltale Series (Video Game), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Arkham Asylum, Batman - Freeform, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Slow Burn, The Enemy Within, telltale, vigilante joker
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-17 10:55:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14187363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasticShaolin/pseuds/FantasticShaolin
Summary: You were a lighthouse in a flood of insanity.(Based on the events after The Enemy Within. Bruce visits his vigilante friend in Arkham Asylum.)





	1. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first batman fic!! I'm sorry if anything is OOC or wrong! Suggestions are great! (":

"You have a vistor." John jumped up at the announcement. A small window, built into the door, opened. It was just big enough for John to see who said visitor was. His heart raced. 

"Bruce!" John watched his old friend fix his tie and duck slightly in order to make eye contact. The well dressed man flashed a genuine half smile, causing John to break into an ear to ear smile. A small giggle left his mouth. 

"John." Bruce let the name fall out of his mouth as if he had been holding it in for a while. It had been weeks before the two had seen each other. Both of their minds were muddled. 

The orderly led Bruce to a spaced out white room with chairs and tables. There were patients and visitors sat next to each other, talking and catching up. Four orderlys stood in the room. One per each wall, watching the patients closely. Making sure nobody went rogue. 

The room was somewhat full. Bruce took note that this was a popular visiting hour. Despite this fact the room was so empty. There was a very little amount of furniture.

 

All that was in the room was white tables and white chairs. White walls. Everything was so white, and Bruce almost internally panicked. It made him remember his time spent in this hell hole. He took a deep breath, reminding himself that it did seem as if improvements had been made to the asylum since his last visit. 

Before he could get lost in any further thought, John was being walked into the room by an orderly. John looked skinny. And sick. Bruce thought this to himself, frowning. He brushed it off, hoping it was just because he hadn't seen John wear white in so long. 

"Visiting hours are over in an hour. Don't say anything that could excite or anger the patient, no prolonged touching, and do not give the patient anything that wasn't already approved by his doctor." The orderly listed off, as he sat John down. Bruce shook his head to show he understood. 

"Bruce!" John basically squealed. He put his hand over top Bruce's own. "I thought I'd never see your handsome mug again!" There was a large scar on John's hand, making Bruce wince with a large amount of guilt. 

Bruce pulled away from the touch, almost on instinct. He watched as John's face turned to a small frown. That frown was quickly replaced by anger. 

"Why are you even here, Bruce?" John snapped, pulled away and crossed his arms. He pointed his finger at himself, then at Bruce. "The thread has been snipped in half, Bruce. And you were the one holding the scissors!" 

Bruce swallowed, hurt by the words John was speaking. He watched the orderly flash him a dirty look, due to Johns not so subtle outburst. He had to calm him before he got forced to leave. 

"John. I'm here because you're my friend. I care about you." 

John raised an eyebrow and actually looked convinced for a moment. His face went soft, and Bruce could see all the emotion in it. That was quickly replaced by a hysterical laugh, and furrowed brows. 

"I thought I was supposed to be the one with the funny jokes, Bruce!" He continued to laugh, clapping to prove his point. People looked over and Bruce tried to gain control of the situation once again. 

"It's not a joke, John." Bruce tried to sound as sincere as possible. "Why would I be here if I didn't care?" 

"It's joker, John is dead." He basically screamed, hitting the table hard. "There has to be a reason for you to be. You need more information on another criminal? Am I just another pawn in your stupid batman game?" John began to fidget in his seat. "I have nothing to give!" 

"Okay, Joker." Bruce cringed at the use of the name. "I really do care about you. I'm going to visit you everyday to prove it." 

At that point John absolutely lost it. He threw his head back, continuing to laugh his iconic laugh. Bruce frowned at this. 

"You really are funny Bruce!" John lunged forward and pulled him by the tie. He yanked Bruce so close that he could feel John's breath on his face. "But that's my job." 

Before Bruce could say anything back, one of the orderly's was on John. He restrained the green haired mans arms and pulled him out of the chair. 

"Okay that's enough! Back to your room you go." He said, pulling the struggling patient out of the visting room and back into doors that were closed to visitors. 

John, or Joker, laughed loudly as he was basically dragged out the room. "See ya around, Brucie!" He had said with a wink, right before he was pulled through the doors and back into the restricted area. 

Bruce frowned, realizing how hard regaining John's trust would be. This wasn't something to be fixed in one visit, and he truly planned on visiting John every day. 

******


	2. Acetaminophen

Visits for the next few days went very similar, John lashing out and eventually being pulled away. Regardless, Bruce stuck to his word. He continued to show up. Everyday. 

It was around his 4th visit when a short female doctor pulled Bruce to the side. 

"I'm Dr. Leland, John's doctor." She smiled big, and held her hand out. "You must be Bruce. I've heard so much about you." 

Bruce flashed his iconic playboy smile and shook her hand. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" 

"Both good and bad." She laughed, letting her professional facade fade for a moment. "Your relationship with John is very..." She put her finger on her chin as she attempted to find a word that could accurately be used. "Complicated?" 

"Complicated is probably an understatement." Bruce nervously laughed. It made sense as to why John's doctor would want to talk to him. He just hoped he hadn't been disturbing her patient too much. 

"Well that's what I wanted to talk to you about." She let out a sigh, and her tone changed to completely professional. "About your visits with John." 

Bruce couldn't help the huge pout that covered his face. He prayed that she wasn't going to make him stop seeing him. He didn't know what he would do with himself. What could he do without his best friend? John was all that he had right now. 

"It's nothing bad, I promise!" She assured him quickly, noticing the look on his face. "John has been much more cheerful since you began to visit." 

"Really?" Bruce cocked an eyebrow. "Cheerful" didn't seem like the correct term to describe the way John acted when he visited. "Hostile" was more like it. 

"Yes. Unfortunately, despite this, his outburst around you can be detrimental to his recovery progress." 

"Detrimental?" The term came out of his mouth like venom. He knew she was right, but he didn't want to face the truth. Bruce wanted John to be stable, he wanted him to be happy. The fact that maybe Bruce didn't belong in that equation was something he did not want to come to terms with. 

"Yes." She cooed, trying to calm him. "As much as you mean to John, more harm might be coming out of your guys relationship than good." 

His mouth went dry, as if he had just swallowed sand. He had to remain cool. All he could manage was a cracked "I understand." 

"But, lucky for you,starting tomorrow I'll be upping John's medicine dose." She smiled, pressing her hand to Bruce's shoulder for comfort. "If improvements are made then I'll allow for you to continue visiting him." 

Bruce couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief at the confirmation. He felt a hundred times lighter. "That's great."

The two spoke a little longer, Bruce asking tips on how to deal with John's outburst and how to prevent triggering them. She also recommended bringing cards or anything that could keep John's hands busy during his visits. Bruce took note of everything, making sure he wouldn't forget a word of it. He wanted to be there for John, to help him at least feel a little bit better. He planned on buying playing cards as soon as he left the asylum. 

 

***** 

Bruce came home to an empty house. Sometimes he forgot that Alfred was no longer in the picture. He wanted to tell Alfred about Dr. Leland. He wanted to tell him about the playing cards he had specially picked out with John in mind. 

 

He no longer had anyone to talk about his day to. Tiffany was there occasionally, but there was still a huge hole missing from his heart. What was the straw that broke the camel's back? The moment that Alfred decided enough was enough? It hurt Bruce even more knowing everything he put the old man through. 

He walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge. Nothing. His stomach growled, realizing he hadn't ate a real meal in weeks. He basically slammed the fridge door, hearing it echo in the emptiness of the linoleum floor. 

The creaking of the floors seemed noiser now that he was alone, the ticking of the clock even seemed obscenely deafening. It was weird how things could be that way. Loud, yet so quiet. Completely opposite, yet one in the same. Just like himself and John.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on tumblr @johnwoah !! I take writting prompts/suggestions!! (:


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